CarVerify

Free Car Check

J689 UNB

1997 Toyota MR2

Black Petrol 1990cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires2 Jul 2027
Tests23 (14 pass, 9 fail)
Pass rate60.9%

Mileage

236,780 mi
Last recorded236,780 miles
Recorded on3 Jul 2026
Typical for 1997 Toyota MR295,711 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this Toyota
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
Unlock full report — £4.99
Instant £30k guarantee
or single check £9.99

Not all car check providers offer a guarantee. Don't risk buying from services that can't back their data. CarVerify reports include a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

Vehicle Details

RegistrationJ689 UNB
MakeToyota
ModelMR2
Year1997
ColourBlack
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,990cc

All premium checks include

50+ data points
Finance Check (Experian) Insurance Write-off Salvage Auction Stolen Check Previous Owners Ex-Taxi, Police, NHS Mileage Anomaly Import / Export Scrapped Check Plate Changes

MOT History

14 pass 9 fail
Pass 3 Jul 2026 236,780 miles

underbody covered in underbody seal

Pass 3 Sep 2024 236,169 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

underbody underseal

Pass 21 May 2023 235,114 miles

Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened BOTH SIDES (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Fail 21 May 2023 235,114 miles

Nearside Front Direction indicator not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened BOTH SIDES (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Pass 2 Oct 2021 234,019 miles
Pass 4 Feb 2020 232,460 miles

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Pass 30 Jan 2019 230,326 miles

Rear brakepads low

Fail 22 Jan 2019 230,325 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))

Offside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a))

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (4.5.1 (a) (ii))

Rear fog lamp switch inoperative (4.5.3 (a) (ii))

Offside Rear Tyre has a bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure (5.2.3 (d) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Rear brakepads low

Pass 10 Oct 2017 227,747 miles
Fail 26 Sep 2017 227,745 miles

Offside Front Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak (2.7.3)

Nearside Headlamp insecure (1.7.3)

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak (2.7.3)

Nearside rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)

Offside Front Power steering ram(s) leaking from a failed component (2.3.3b)

Parking brake lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Rear Tyre(s) incorrect because different size tyres are fitted on the same axle. (4.1.A.1a)

Steering system has excessive free play detected at the steering wheel (steering rack fitted) In steering column (2.2.A.1b)

Pass 13 Sep 2016 218,212 miles

Nearside Rear Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Rear Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Fail 13 Sep 2016 218,212 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre not fitted in accordance with side wall instructions (4.1.D.1f)

Nearside Rear Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Rear Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Pass 23 Jul 2012 213,887 miles

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Oil leak

Rear Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

n/s/r tyre under inflated

Fail 21 Jul 2012 213,887 miles

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Oil leak

Rear Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

n/s/r tyre under inflated

Pass 22 Jul 2011 203,271 miles
Fail 22 Jul 2011 203,271 miles

Nearside rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)

Offside Rear brake caliper has restricted free movement (3.5.1k)

Offside rear brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Offside rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Pass 5 Jul 2010 198,976 miles

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Fail 5 Jul 2010 198,976 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Nearside Windscreen wiper blade insecure (8.2.2)

Offside Windscreen wiper blade insecure (8.2.2)

Parking brake lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Pass 7 Jul 2009 192,128 miles
Fail 6 Jul 2009 192,128 miles

Offside Rear fog lamp missing (1.3.2a)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

long travel at handbrake

Pass 18 Apr 2008 185,631 miles
Fail 14 Apr 2008 185,631 miles

Nearside Front front brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Nearside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Offside Front Headlamp not in good working order adversely affecting beam image (1.2.4a)

Offside Front front brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Offside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

long travel at handbrake

Pass 21 Jul 2006 182,160 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

How Reliable is the Toyota MR2?

Based on 602,130 MOT tests across 48,586 vehicles.

70.3%
Pass Rate
3,018
Miles/Year
40
Year Lifespan
48,586
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 36,842
Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 28,398
parking brake recording little or no effort 26,783
Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded 19,194
Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively 15,393
Full Toyota MR2 reliability report

Don't risk it. Know before you buy.

Not all vehicle check providers are the same. Some don't offer a data guarantee, which means if their information is wrong, you're on your own. Every CarVerify report is backed by a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

£30k guarantee Instant results Cancel anytime

J689 UNB is a 1997 Toyota MR2 in Black with a 1,990cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 23 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 60.9%.

Across all 1997 Toyota MR2 models, the average MOT pass rate is 69.6% with a typical mileage of 95,711 miles. This particular vehicle has a lower pass rate than the average for its year, which may indicate maintenance issues worth investigating.

The most common reason a Toyota MR2 fails its MOT is parking brake: efficiency below requirements, accounting for 36,842 recorded failures. If you're considering buying J689 UNB, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Toyota MR2 typically stays on UK roads for around 40 years. At 29 years old, this Toyota MR2 is well into its expected lifespan but still has years ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of J689 UNB?

You can check the full history of J689 UNB by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was J689 UNB registered?

J689 UNB is a 1997 Toyota MR2, first registered on 1 October 1997.

Is J689 UNB safe to buy?

The MOT history for J689 UNB shows 23 tests with a 60.9% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does J689 UNB have outstanding finance?

Finance checks require a premium vehicle report. This checks against all major UK finance providers to see if there is any outstanding finance on J689 UNB. If you buy a car with outstanding finance, the finance company can repossess it.

No warranty or guarantee of accuracy is provided for any free data on this page. The data guarantee applies only to information obtained through the purchase of a full check.